License plateholder



Dec. 7, 1954 w. E. BEYER 2,696,058

LICENSE -PLATEHOLDER Filed Nov. 2 195o 2 Sheets-sheet 1 Waller E. Beyer @MM ara/WW ,/amjgrm Dec. 7, 1954 w. E; BEYER LICENSE PLATEHOLDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 2, 1950 Wal/er E. Beyer United States Patent Oilce 2,696,058 Patented Dec. 7, 1954 LICENSE PLATEHOLDER.

Walter E. Beyer, Donnelly, 4Idaho,

Application November 2, 1950,;Seral`N0. 193,689 s claims. (el. yf4'o-`13z) commodate. different sizes of -license platesv may be: ef'- fected with ease and certainty, and wherein -the lframe may be retained securely in adjusted position.

'Afurther object of the invention is-to provide animproved adjustable frame in accordance with the preceding object, in which there. is incorporateda novel pivotedtop wall or closure for the frame. to permitlthe. ready v`insertionf or removal oflicense plates into. and' from the frame;

and` wherebyV the-hinged top wall ofthe frame may be.

readily and` securely locked in its,v .closed `position.

.Astill :further object ofzthe invention is to provide an improved adjustable. license `frame in accordance with the Aforegoing objects, in which axnovel hinrgedaconnec'-v tion is. provided between A,the hinged" upper or ltop, wall` of the frame and a side-Wall thereof; wherein iimproved means is provided for illuminating, .a1 licensefplate` held within ,the frame; and lwherein the. Vpivotgpin for the hinged top wall; of. 'the frame. isvutilized asak conduit for the electric cables supplyingcurrentto the illuminating means.

These, together with various ancillary features and objects of the invention, which ,will later :become apparent as the following ydescription proceeds,.are attained by the present invention, a preferredr embodiment of which has been illustrated, by Way of example only, the accompanyingdrawings, wherein :1

IFigure l is a front elevational =viewof an adjustable frame in accordance with the presentinvention;

Figure 2.;is a rear elevational, view` of the iframe .of Figure 1, the top wall of the framel .being shownin .its

openposition in dotted linestherein;

Figure 3- is. a vertical transverse sectional View taken substantially upon `theplane indicated by the lsection line 3-3 of Figure l;

Figure 4 is a vertical transversevsectional view taken substantially upon thekplane indicatedfby. theisectioulline 4--4 of Figure 2 and showing the arrangement of the latching means of the top or closure wall of the frame;

Figure 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 5 5 of Figure 1 and showing the arrangement of the illuminating and the pivot means of the frame; and

Figure 6 is a perspective assembly detail view showing the manner in which the top and end wall of the frame are adapted and constructed for pivotal engagement with each other.

Referring now more specically to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals designate similar parts throughout the Various views, it will be seen that there is disclosed an adjustable, substantially rectangular license plate holding frame which consists of a plurality of walls each in the form of channel members, and which may advantageously be constructed of any lightweight sheet metal material, preferably of a rust-proof nature.

The substantially rectangular license plate holding frame includes a top wall 10, a bottom wall 12, and a pair of end walls 14 and 16. Each of these walls is constructed of sheet metal and of a channel member formation, as set forth hereinafter. Further, each of 2` thevv walls is of' a longitudinally adjustable constructiony toY permit the size ofthe license plate holding frame tobeadjusted' as desired', iny order to adapt the same to ac commodate dierent sizes of license plates.

Considering rst 'the'bottom Wall- 12, it will be seen: that the 4sameconsists of a `sheet metal Lchannel member having a bottom lweb/portion 181 foldedpto provide a pair ofsparallel side' walls 20` and 22, which have converging wall portions 24- andi '26, respectively, and which are thenx again bent to provide parallel walls-28 and- 30 disposed iin -sid'e-by-side relation, ythese latter Walls termi'- na-ting @in parallel spaced walls 32 and' 341 which thus provide a channel therebetween toreceive and embrace the ybottom edge of alicenseplate.

As-Will be readily'apparent fromf-Figuresfli, 2 and 3, ythe bottom wall 1.2-consists-ofvtwomembersof theshape andi character just described, which are disposed in` end@ to-endalignment .butspacedl from each other, each of these membershaving thus` anI aligned portion indicated by .the numerals 36-andI 38. At their outer ends,the members 36 and 38 lare provided with integral perpendicul'arlyV upwardly extending portions 40: andI 42,. 'similarly constructed, and the. members 36, 40:.andl 38, y42 constitute L-shaped members. It willl now beV apparentv that the sp'acingof the members 36. and 38' with respect toeachothermay .be varied .to secure the desired longi tudinal adjustment of the ,bottomwall 12.V

The :bottomwall portions 36 .and 38. are securedin their longitudinally adjusted position with respect tov each; other'bymeans ofa pair of` parallelclamping and.

mountingpl'ates. 4'4 .and 46; Vthe lower portions of which are provided withapertures 548i whereby theseplates may' be. securedito the:- customaryvmounting for license. plates upon. motorvehicles, .the upper yportions .of these plates being provided with :recessed-portions shaped. toembracewthe side. walls' 2`0\and 22 of the bottoml wall.' 1`2. I'twilli be apparent that when 'the two parallel supportingzplatesz44 and46 `are vclamped .totheir supporhwthey will, in turn,l rmlygrip, and'vclamp between. the upper ends of vthe same zthelongitudinalily spaced portionsl 36 andi .38.1 :of: ,the bottom wall 12, thereby" rigidly securing these: :portions -in the desired longitudinally adjusted position.

top. Wall 10 is. 'likewise composed of a :pair of.

aligned,.longitudinally spacedi and kadjustedmembers .52 and 54vwhich1 arefsecured together' by a: channel-shaped. clamping` member .56. lof a .channel-shaped' cross-section adapted Lto` :embrace Vand telescopically receive portions. 52 .and 54.set screws Aor the like 58 .being provided in'. the member. :S61 ffor lockingythe,portions-:52 and 5.4 in longitudinally' adjusted' position'. The portions 52:1and 54- ,area of- :the samer. :crossfsectonal vshape andi ,constructionudescribedlwith. respect to the lbottom walhportions 36and 38.

At itsf outerend, the .,toplwallz section :52 has any L- shaped, downturned portion l of, cross-sectional shape and-.aconstructionrsiinilar :to the yportions 40.v and .lik-this L-shaped depending leg 60 being intended to abut and rest upon the upper end of a section 62 disposed in alignment with and in longitudinal adjustment with respect to the upstanding section 40 of the end Wall 14. The straight end wall section 62 is adjustably clamped to the 'wall section 40 by means of a clamping sleeve 64 which telescopes over and slidably embraces the sections 62 and 40, this sleeve being of the same construction as the sleeve 56, and provided with adjusting set screws 66 as shown in Figure 2.

The other end wall 60 is provided with a top, longitudinally spaced and adjusted channel-shaped section 68, similar to the section 62, and similarly clamped to the lower section in longitudinally adjusted position, as by a clamping sleeve 70 telescopingly received over the same, and secured thereto as by set screws 72, this sleeve being of the same construction as the sleeve 64.

However, the adjacent ends of the sections 54 and 68 are of somewhat modied construction to provide a means of connection therebetween, this cooperating hinged construction being shown more clearly in Figure 6. As shown in that iigure, the side wall section 68, provided with its web portion 18, and with parallel side walls 20 and 22, together with the spaced flanges, one of which is shown at 34, has the upper end portions of the side walls and 22 provided with apertures or eyes 74 for receiving a pivot pin. Similarly, the top wall section 54 has the above mentioned web portion 18, the side walls 20 and 22, the converging wall portions 24 and 26, the llat contacting wall portions 28 and 30, together with the spaced end walls 32 and 34 forming a channel member to receive the upper'end of the license plate. The adjacent end surfaces of the wall portions between the side walls 20 and 22, and the spaced walls 32 and 34 are mitered or cut upon an angle, as suggested in Figures 2 and 6, in order to permit the top Wall to close snugly upon the end walls to complete the closure of the frame. The end walls 20 and 22 of the top member 54 are likewise provided with apertured portions 74 forming eyelets which register with the eyelet 74 of the wall section 68. A pivot pin is disposed through these eyelets, as set forth hereinafter, to hingedly connect the top Wall to the end wall 16 and thereby permit the top wall to be pivotally opened and closed with respect to the end walls of the frame.

As shown more clearly in Figures l, 3 and 5, the top wall section 54 and the end wall section 68 are hingedly connected by a tubular sleeve 78 constituting a pivot pin, and this sleeve is preferably Welded or otherwise rigidly attached to the back wall of a substantially triangular shaped housing 80 which is thus positioned across the hinged end of the frame. In order to secure the housing 80 to the hinged ends of the frame members 54 and 68, the sleeve 78 is externally threaded for the reception of a fastening nut 82. The housing is provided with one o1' more transparent or light-transmitting panes 84 and 86 so that light from an electric bulb 88 of conventional design and carried by a conventional form of light socket 90 disposed within the housing may illuminate the license plate carried thereby. Electricity is fed from any suitable electric source, not shown, to the light bulb through an electric cable or conductor 92 which extends through the tubular pivot member 78 into the housing 80.

Thus, the pivot pin is employed not only to hingedly mount the top member of the frame to the end member of the same, but also to support the housing thereon and to supply current to the light bulb within the housing.

As shown more clearly in Figures 2 and 4, the other end section 52 of the top wall 10 has pivotally attached thereto as by a rivet or similar pivotal connection 94, one end of a latching lever 96 whose other end may be provided with a detent portion 98 engageable in a depression 100 carried by the surface of the clamping member 64. The latter further provides an upstanding, externally threaded stud 102, adapted to receive an arcuately shaped notch 104 at the intermediate portion of the lever 96, and a thumb nut 106 is employed to lock the latching lever in its closed position. Thus, the hinged top wall of the frame may be securely latched in its closed position to securely retain the license plate within the frame.

From the foregoing, it is thought that the novel construction of the frame together with its many advantages of operation will be readily apparent, and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the foregoing specification and accompanying drawings, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, but all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new 1s:

l. An adjustable frame for holding license plates cornprising top and bottom walls connected by a pair of end walls, each wall consisting of a channel member opening interiorly of the frame, the top wall being pivotally hinged to one end wall and having a latch engageable with the other end wall for securing the top wall to the end walls, said latch including a lever pivoted to said top wall, a stud and thumb nut on said other end wall, said latch having a notch for receiving said stud.

2. An adjustable frame for holding license plates comprising top and bottom walls connected by a pair of end walls, each wall consisting of a channel member opening interiorly of the frame, the top wall being pivotally hinged to one end wall and having a latch engageable with the other end wall for securing the top wall to the end walls, a triangular shaped housing secured to said one end wall of said frame and having a light transmitting panel therein for illuminating a license plate mounted in said frame, a light in said housing.

3. The combination of claim 3 including a tubular pivot hinging said top wall to said one end wall and communicating with the interior of said housing, wires for said light extending through said tubular pivot.

4. An adjustable frame for holding license plates comprising top and bottom walls connected by a pair of end Walls, said walls being in the form of inwardly directed channels each having a web and flanges, said top wall and one of said end walls having hinge eyes on the ends of their anges, a tubular fastener passed through said eyes to pivotally connect said top wall to said one end wall, said tubular fastener being carried by a light frame and being the mounting means therefore.

5. The combination of claim 4, wherein said light frame conceals the juncture between said top wall and said one end wall, a fastener releasably connecting an opposite end of said top wall to the other of said end walls, said fastener being concealed from direct view.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 19,262/91 Great Britain Aug. 6, 1892 

